Procedures
Cracked Teeth
Cracked teeth can demonstrate many types of symptoms, including pain when chewing, when exposed to temperature extremes, or even be painful upon the release of biting pressure. It is also common for pain to come and go, making it difficult to diagnose the cause of discomfort.
Chewing can cause movement of the cracked pieces of your tooth, and the pulp within the tooth becomes irritated. At the same time, when biting pressure is released, the crack can close quickly, resulting in sharp pain. Eventually, the pulp will become damaged and the tooth will consistently hurt, even when you are not chewing. It is possible that cracks can lead to infection of the pulp tissue, which can spread to the bone and gum surrounding the problematic tooth. Early and definitive treatment with root canal therapy is often indicated.
Types of Cracks
Craze lines
These are tiny cracks that only affect the outer enamel of the tooth. These cracks are more common in adults than children, are fairly superficial, and are usually of no concern.
Fractured Cusp
When a cusp becomes weakened, a fracture may result. The cusp may break off while chewing or be removed by a dentist. A fractured cusp rarely damages the pulp, so root canal therapy is not always necessary. Your dentist will usually restore the tooth with a full crown.
Cracked Tooth
This type of crack extends from the chewing surface of the tooth and vertically migrates towards the root. In some cases, the crack may extend below the gum line. It is possible for the crack to extend further into the root. Damage to the pulp with a cracked tooth is commonplace. In this case, root canal treatment is usually necessary. A cracked tooth that is not treated will worsen, resulting in the loss of the tooth. Therefore, early detection is essential.
Split Tooth
A split tooth is usually the result of an untreated cracked tooth. It can be identified by a crack with distinct segments. This type of tooth can never be saved intact.
Vertical Root Fracture
A vertical root fracture begins at the root end and extends towards the chewing surface of the tooth. Unfortunately, they often show minimal symptoms and may go unnoticed until it is too late for treatment. Treatment often involves endodontic surgery if a portion of the tooth can be saved by removal of the fractured root. Otherwise the tooth will have to be extracted. If so, implants and/or bridges can often be placed to replace the missing tooth.